Hi all, does anyone have experience with Japanese kiseru pipes? I recently acquired a Tsuge Ichirin, which is arguably a kiseru, but a modern take on one and adapted more for Western tobacco. Anyway, I’ve fallen in love with the thing, and I’ve started thinking it might be cool to try out a more traditional design as well. The trouble I’ve been running into is with navigating the market: there are kiserus beyond number on eBay, but the prices vary widely based, presumably, on distinctions I am oblivious to. Does anyone know anything about the different brands and styles, and what a reasonable price is? I’m just looking for something simple and functional with a bamboo shank, but I can’t help worrying that some of the cheaper ones will turn out to be made of cardboard and tinfoil or something. Thanks!
Seeking Kiseru Guidance
- Thread starter shughes0212
- Start date
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Does this help?
www.kiseru-pipe.com
How to choose a kiseru - Kiseru-pipe
There are many sorts of kiseru japanese smoking pipes. Here is a guide to help you to make the best choice !
www.kiseru-pipe.com
Slightly. Yes, I’ve seen that site.Does this help?
How to choose a kiseru - Kiseru-pipe
There are many sorts of kiseru japanese smoking pipes. Here is a guide to help you to make the best choice !
Oh, man, now I want one!! An actual kiseru, mind ye.Does this help?
How to choose a kiseru - Kiseru-pipe
There are many sorts of kiseru japanese smoking pipes. Here is a guide to help you to make the best choice !
Bushi Olkofri...
My 1st one was 40 years ago, gave 50 - 60 dollars for it.
The last 2, were a gift , that a friend gave 4 dollars apiece for in SF china town.
The last 2, the reed part was glued into the brass bowl section and mouthpiece.
To me, you have to be able to disassemble the pipes to clean, they are prone to stopping up.
If you try to force a wire thru the pipe the reed will split, unless you heat the wire up to a cherry red.
Never tried the Kiszami tobacco, I used Balishag blue pouch.
Interesting experiance, not something to do on a regular basis.
Hope this helps a little. Tom
The last 2, were a gift , that a friend gave 4 dollars apiece for in SF china town.
The last 2, the reed part was glued into the brass bowl section and mouthpiece.
To me, you have to be able to disassemble the pipes to clean, they are prone to stopping up.
If you try to force a wire thru the pipe the reed will split, unless you heat the wire up to a cherry red.
Never tried the Kiszami tobacco, I used Balishag blue pouch.
Interesting experiance, not something to do on a regular basis.
Hope this helps a little. Tom
Interesting. Yeah, I’ve seen very mixed reviews so far. Some people seem to love them and some hate. I had been figuring on using shag too. Funny enough, I’ve actually seen Kizami for sale on eBay, but it’s wicked expensive.
They look very promising. The Ichirin at least has quickly become the best pipe I have for shag. I’m curious how the metal will effect the smoke, but it looks like they could be pretty ideal for a light, quick bowl of fine cut tobacco.
Update: so far I’ve found two good lines of search on English-language sites. Iizuka, one of the brands carried on kiseru-pipe.com seems to be quite reputable and offers some very reasonably priced models, and Tsuge of course also make traditional kiserus, which tend to run a little higher in price, but offer more options in terms of style. There are also loads of “samurai pipe” listings that don’t mention any maker in particular, and these I trust not at all. The devil with all of it of course is that the vast majority ship from Japan, but I actually managed to find someone selling the iizuka that ships out of Las Vegas and went for it. We’ll see how it goes!
A friend gave me a kirseru and I've tried smoking it with fine ground tobacco, small pieces not powder. It seems like an almost instantaneous smoke, a few seconds, ten at the most. Is there something I'm missing? I'm intrigued but mystified as to how this could be a meditative smoking experience.
From what I’ve read, the pack is important: one wants to squish the leaf into a tight little ball before loading it, sort of like doing a fold-and-stuff with miniature flake.
Also, it seems one wants fine pieces but long ones (dunno if that’s what you meant or not). The tobacco that’s traditionally used is cut like shag but even finer.
Well, I ordered one. 
Thanks @LotusEater, my wallet hates you now. ?
We'll see how it pans out when it gets here, God willing.
Thanks @LotusEater, my wallet hates you now. ? We'll see how it pans out when it gets here, God willing.
Kiseru might prove a whole exercise in attaining perfection, like the tea ceremony thing. Japanese are known for that.
It also sounds like the bits my Stonehenge Flake is turned into after it's been put through one of those "herb grinders" and makes it so I don't have to relight the pipe constantly to enjoy it.
Also, what were the origins of the Kiseru pipe? With its tiny bowl, I sometimes wonder if they were originally meant for something psychoactive, like opium or cocaine (the latter of which ancient China probably didn't have).
Also, what were the origins of the Kiseru pipe? With its tiny bowl, I sometimes wonder if they were originally meant for something psychoactive, like opium or cocaine (the latter of which ancient China probably didn't have).
prep and clean up are the parts you're forgeting. Also you're supposed to half inhale the smoke into your throat but not further (easier then it sounds). The way everything comes together is actually relaxing and requires focus but not skill and that's the key. You can't mindlessly use it but it's also not taxing and you can also smoke a few in a row if you want to. Oh and if you want to feel what it should feel like use a strong shag like five borthers. Not the same thing but it works and it's different then smoking a briar. Kind of reminds me of snuff taking as far as how it feels.
nope just rarity of tobacco. Kind of like how Tudor era clay pipes have a similar bowl size. Also helps that the strains of tobacco smoked at that time where much higher in nic then what we commercially buy too.
Smaller amounts of tobacco for the bowl size usually .025 grams for the bowl size.
I think the history is that they had originally been buying processed tobacco from Europeans, but then the Portuguese or whoever hiked up the tariffs on them, so they started buying the tobacco raw and growing and processing it themselves to reduce costs. The design of the pipe itself, as well as the cut of the leaf are designed to basically get as much smoke as possible from the least amount of tobacco.
Actually though. There is a Japanese smoking ceremony.Well, I ordered one.
We'll see how it pans out when it gets here, God willing.
Kiseru might prove a whole exercise in attaining perfection, like the tea ceremony thing. Japanese are known for that.
D&R Three Sails and GL Pease Penny Farthing do well in the Ichirin.